Braves Rally to Beat Phils, 7-5

Related Tags:

Martin Prado hit two solo home runs and Matt Diaz added a two-run clout to power Atlanta past the Phillies, 7-5, to finish off a three-game set.

Brian McCann doubled in three runs to put the Braves ahead for good during a decisive six-run sixth inning as the Braves bounced back to win the last two games of the series.

Kris Medlen (6-1) earned the win after surrendering four runs on seven hits over 6 2/3 innings during which he walked two and struck out five for Atlanta, which leads the season series, 7-5. Billy Wagner retired the side in order in the ninth to preserve the win and earn his 19th save of the season.

“There’s so much baseball left to play, but we’re extremely happy to take a series from the Phillies,” Medlen said.

Jamie Moyer (9-8) suffered the loss after getting roughed up for seven runs on seven hits, including three home runs, over 5 1/3 innings while walking one and fanning three for the Phillies, who have lost six out of eight.

Prado belted the third pitch of the game from Moyer for a home run to left field to get the visitors on the board.

The Phillies got a leadoff double from Jimmy Rollins in the bottom of the frame and loaded the bases with two outs after Jayson Werth was hit by a pitch but Greg Dobbs grounded out to end the inning.

The home side did cash in a leadoff double by Wilson Valdez in the second when Rollins doubled just inside the right field line with two outs to even the score.

Raul Ibanez drew a two-out walk in the fifth before Ryan Howard belted an opposite field home run to left to give the Phillies their first lead at 3-1.

Prado launched his second home run of the night in the sixth, a solo shot, that trimmed the Phillies lead to 3-2 and triggered the winning rally. Omar Infante then lined a single into right field in front of Chipper Jones, who looped a double into right to push Infante to third base. Troy Glaus worked a walk to load the bases for McCann, who drove a double off the base of the wall in left-center field to clear the bases and put the visitors back on top, 5-3.

Diaz, who drove in the winning run in Tuesday’s game, then belted his first long ball of the season to straightaway center that pushed the lead to 7-3 and ended Moyer’s outing.

Shane Victorino’s solo shot with two out in the seventh made it 7-4 and spelled the end of the night for Medlen. Johnny Venters came on and got Ibanez to pop up to end the inning and retired Howard leading off the eighth before being replaced by Takashi Saito.

Ben Francisco delivered a two-out, pinch-hit single later in the frame that plated Dobbs to cut the lead to 7-5 before Juan Castro popped out to end the threat.

“We gotta start winning series, we gotta start playing better,” said Phillies manager Charlie Manuel. “If we’re a second half team, like people say we are, it’s time for us to kick it into gear.”

Game Notes

Howard’s long ball was his first in 11 games dating back to June 26 against Toronto…Moyer has allowed 508 home runs, the most of any pitcher in big league history…He is 6-10 in 19 games against the Braves…The game was played in front of the 80th straight sellout crowd at Citizens Bank Park…The last time the Phils were six games behind in the division race was September 13, 2007 when they trailed the New York Mets by 6 1/2 games…The Braves are a major league best 42-21 since snapping their nine-game losing streak on April 30…Atlanta is 14-1-3 in its’ last 18 series since May 10. Prado had three hits and has recorded a big league-best 40 multi-hit games. Atlanta is 37-1 when leading after seven innings…Injured Braves’ outfielder Nate McLouth is slated to begin a rehabilitation assignment on Friday at Triple-A Gwinnett. He has not played since suffering a head contusion on June 9 in Phoenix after a collision with Jason Heyward…The teams do not meet again until September 20-22 in Philadelphia.